Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

मेखलाजिनदंडाश्च लिंगं स्याद्ब्रह्मचारिणः । गृहिणो वेदयज्ञादि नखलोमवनस्थितेः

Transliteration

mekhalājinadaṃḍāśca liṃgaṃ syādbrahmacāriṇaḥ | gṛhiṇo vedayajñādi nakhalomavanasthiteḥ

Translation

The marks (liṅga) of a brahmacārī are the girdle (mekhalā), the skin-garment (ajina), and the staff (daṇḍa). For the householder, the sign is Vedic sacrifice and allied rites; and for the forest-dweller, the sign is austerity shown by nails and hair left uncut.

Word by Word

• mekhalā-ajina-daṇḍāḥ: girdle, skin, and staff
• mekhalā-ajina-daṇḍāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (of syāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mekhalā (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (मेखला च अजिनं च दण्डः च), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• liṅgam: mark/insignia
• liṅgam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• brahmacāriṇaḥ: of a brahmacārin (student)
• brahmacāriṇaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• gṛhiṇaḥ: of a householder
• gṛhiṇaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध) (elliptic: 'liṅgam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• veda-yajña-ādi: Vedic sacrifices and the like
• veda-yajña-ādi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (predicate nominative: 'mark/characteristic')
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थक समास (वेदयज्ञश्च आदयश्च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'ādi' = etc.

• nakha-loma-vanasthiteḥ: of the forest-dweller’s (state marked by) nails and hair
• nakha-loma-vanasthiteḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध) (elliptic: 'liṅgam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक) + loma (प्रातिपदिक) + vanasthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (नखलोमयोः वनस्थितिः = nails/hair in forest-dwelling), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych composition: left—brahmacārī with mekhalā, ajina, daṇḍa; center—gṛhastha at a yajña-vedi with ladle and offerings; right—vānaprastha with matted/long hair and uncut nails, seated in forest austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Each life-stage has visible disciplines that remind the practitioner—and society—of the duties and spirit of that āśrama.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

In Kāśī’s puranic frame, the verse supports the ideal of Kāśī as a place where the full spectrum of āśrama-dharma is recognized and honored.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It defines the external signs and principal duties of brahmacarya, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha.